Toy



Aug. 21, 1945. y EREENE l 2,383,305

y ToY.

Filed Dec. 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

Aug. 21, 1945. J. EEEENE V 2,333,305'.`

Patented Aug. 21, 1945 ori-'ice` e.

Toad` y. lJoseph Greeneprlooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Hol- 'i gateBrothers Compan tion of Pennsylvania ,i Application December 1s, 1943,seriai No; 514,833 'l This invention relates to toys and more par`ticularly to an educational toy designed to effect hand andeyecoordination, to teach colorfdiscrimination and recognition of themusical scale.

, `One of the objects of the invention isto provide a toy requiring theexercise of skilLin elevating a ball to a point where it will beintroduced into a runway that `will return itto its lowest position. i ii i 1A Another object is to supply such a toy in which the ball runwaymaybe combined with musical elements to simulate thescale, and, also,with vmeans for eiectingthe movement of animatedobjects. 1 l i i l Withthe foregoing objects `outlined and with other objects `in view, whichwill appear` as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described indetail, illustrated in the,accompanyingl drawings, and more particularly pointed out Vin theappended claims@A f l u Referring to the drawings:` i I i l Fig. 1 is afrontl elevation of my` novel toy, Fig. 2 is a vertical 'sectional viewon the line 2-2ofFig.l.` f

Fig. 3 isa horizontal sectional view of` a'detail. Fig. 2 is a lverticalsectional view of such detail taken on the line 4-4`of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, I designates a case consisting of `a base II, side`walls`I2, rear wall I3,` and a topll. f The front of the case-may eitherbe open or closed by a transparent wall.` l

Resting on the base is' a vertically disposed strip I5 `provided with anupper edge I6 serving asa l fulcrum for iinger-operated keys I'I. Thesekeys simulate pianokeys and each may be `provided at its bottom with atransverse notch I8 to receive the upper edge of the strip I5. l

Immediately above the' keys, a frontboard I9 extends across the `casingand has its ends secured tothe sides thereof, andextending rearwardlyfrom the upper edge portion of the board `is a substantially horizontalguide strip,20.

1o claims. (c1. 1e-177i e `it is associated will be elevated to a heightequal to the next higher post.

The tops of all of the `postse`.reinc1ined toward Y the partitionZI Vandall of themlwith the exception of the tallest one are inclined towardthe tallest one, and, therefore', if a marble oir ball 25 is placed onthe lowermost one, it can be gradually elevated by the posts to thetallest one of the series by successive manipulation of the keys.

When a keyis depressed, the marble will be `elevated to a level where`it can roll to the next higher post and so on.`

`As the top of the tallest post is inclinedtoward the internal wall 2I,the marble when elevated by the tallest post, can roll therefrom intothe entrance 26 of a runway 21. The runway is inclined from 'theentrance toward an exit/28 which l will discharge the marble onto thelowest one of An internal wall 2| is arranged in the case bei :tween therear wall I3 `and thereai` edge of the `strip 20 and may be providedwith decorative figures 22. i

Between the parts 20 and 2| and guided thereby is aseries of posts 23that are gradually increased in height from one end of the case to theother. Each of theposts is provided with a. horizontal notch 24 toreceive the rear end of a key I1 `and when the key is depressed, thepost with which the posts. The entrance and exit are preferably arrangedin the internal wall y2l and the runway is positioned between such walland the rear wall I3. H As the marble rolls downthe runway, itcan beused for the creation of musical sounds. For example, metal plates 23having different musical tones may be positioned along thebottom`,of.the runway so that the marble will strike eachone `indescending therethrough. .Such plates may`give ,out the `sounds of themusical scale.

In addition, the marblein rolling through the runway, may rotate a disk30 mounted on a horif Zontal shaft 3|. `If this feature is used, awindow 32 in the internalwall 2| may be employed `to exhibit figures `33on the disk. For example, the front of the internal wall may bedecorated to illustrate the Mother Goose rhyme .The cow jumped over themoon. In that event, the moon figure would be arranged beneath thewindow `32 and the front of the'disk could be provided `with the ligureof a cow which would be periodically displayed in the window as the keysare operated.

As minor details, a bumper 34 may be arranged on one of theside walls atthe lower end of the runway to cushion the marble, and immediatelyforward of the shorter one of the posts aguide strip 35 may be securedto one of the sidewalls to prevent the falling marble from .dropping off`the shortest one of the posts. It will be obvious that more than onemarble may beused at the the depression of the keys.

`same time `and may be progressively elevatedl by l 1 wish it distinctlyunderstoodthat the toy dee' as may be convenient and desirable withoutdeparting from the salient features thereof. I, therefore, intend thefollowing claims to cover such modifications as naturally fall withinthe lines in the invention.

What I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy ,of the character described comprising a wall havingI an,entrance opening and an feXit opening therein, a ball runwaycommunicating with said openings and inclined downwardly from .v

the entrance opening to the exit opening, musical A" lseries beingpositioned to receive a ball discharged creating means defining aportion of said runway and arranged to be actuated by'said ball asittravels down the runway, saidyrunwayfbeing ar'- l ranged at one sideof said wall, and manually operated means arranged at the opposite sideof the wall and comprising successively actuated posts, movablerelatively to one another, for progressively elevating a `ball from theexit opening to the entrance opening andvfor discharging the ball intothe latter. j l

2.. A toy of the characterl described comprising a wall provided with anentrance opening, an exit opening,` and a window, a ball runway arrangedat one sidego s aid wall and inclined downwardly from the entranceopening 'to theexit opening, movable means to display objects throughsaid window, projecting into the runway, and adapted t0 4beactuated by abau rolling through the runway, and manually operated means arrangedparallel to andat the opposite side of fsaid wall andcomprisingsuccessively actuated posts, movable relatively to `oneanother, for progressively elevating a ball from the exit opening to theentrance opening and to cause the ball to roll into the latter opening.

V3. A toy ofthe character described comprising a wall provided withan'entrance opening, an exit opening, and a'window, a ball runwayarranged at one side of said wall and inclined downwardly from theentrance opening to thev exit opening,

movable means to' display objects through 'said window, projecting intothe runway', and adapted to be actuatedby a ball rolling through therunway, and manually operated means arranged parallelto-and at theopposite side of said wallfor progressively elevating a ball from theexit opening to the entrance opening to cause the -ball to roll intotheulatter opening, the last-mentioned means-comprising a series ofrelatively reciprocatable posts of gradually increasing height from theexit opening to the entrance opening, and a 'n'- ger 'operated'key forraising each post.

4. A toy of the character described comprising a wall provided with an'upper entrance opening and a lower exit opening, a ball runway arrangedatone side of said wall, parallel thereto and in- `clined downwardlyfrom the entrance opening tothe exit opening, a series of relativelyreciprocatable posts arranged parallel to the wall at the opposite sidethereof, said posts gradually increasing in height from the shortest oneof the series lill to thetallestone of the series, the shortest one ofthe series being'positioned to receive a ball discharged' fromsaid exitopening and the tallest one of the posts being adapted to projecty aball into said ventrance openingpthe postswhich are shorterthanthe-tallest' one having surfaces inclined toward the tallest post sothat a ball can roll from a shorter post'to the -neXt higher one whenthe shorter' post is elevated a sufcient "height,` and a series `ofsubstantially vhorizontal rockable keys projecting away 'from saidwalland 'operatively connected to said' posts for successively from saideXit opening and the tallest one of the posts ybeing adaptedrto projecta ball into said '.entrance-opelhg, fthe posts which are shorter-thanvthe tallest-one having surfaces inclined toward the tallest postso that a ball can roll from a shorter post to the next higher one whenthe shorter post is elevated a sufficient height, and a series ofsubstantially horizontalrockable leys projecting away from 'said' wall'and operatively connectedto said posts 'for successively elevating thelatter'inde'pendently -of one anothensaid posts l 'supporting surfacesinclined toward the tallest post so that a ball can roll from ashorterpost tothe next higher ypost whenthe shorter'p'ost is elevated toa suflicient height, a ball runwayhav; ing an entrance to receivea ballfrom the supporting surface of thetallest post and an exit to dischargea ball onto the supporting surface of the shortestpos't, 'andmanuallypperated means for successively raising the posts independentlyof one another. Il Y l` 7. A toy of the rcharacter described comprisinga substantially Yvertical wall, l a series of relatively reciprocableposts arranged parallel to" the 'wall immediately` in' frontthe'reof,ysaid vpostsbeing positioned side by sideincloseproximity.-to'one anotherand gradually increasing inheight from the shortest to the tallestlp'ost' ofiftheseriesgthe posts which are shorter than-thet-allest .onehav,`

is elevated to a suflicient height, a ball' runway,

having an entrance to receive a ball from `,the supporting surface ofthe tallestpost Aandanexit to discharge a ball onto the supportingsurface of the shortest post, the portion of the toy 4immediately infront Aof said supportingsurfaces of the posts being unobstructed sothat the lball-if Inot manipulated properlyy can fall forward ,from theAsupporting surface of any `of the posts, and manually operated means`for successively `raising the posts independently .of one another,` .fK

8. `A toy of the icharacterdescrilbed comprising a substantiallyvertical wall, 'a series `of relatively reciproca'ble postsarrangedparallel to the wall immediately in front thereof, said postsbeing pousitionedside by side .inwclose proximity tojone .another andvgradually increasing in ,height from the shortest to the 4tallest'postof thel series, ,the

. posts which are shorter than the tallest one hav:-

is elevated to a sufllcient height, a ball runway having an entrance toreceive a (ball from the supportingsurface of the tallest post and an`exit to dischlarge a ball onto the supporting surface Vofthe shortestpost, and ringer operated keys operatively Iconnected to the posts forsuccessively t `raising them independently of one another;`

` supporting surface at the `lowest elevation, and

9.` A toy of thecharacter described "comprising n a series ofsubstantially vertical relatively reciproca'ble posts positioned sidebysidejin close `proximity to one another and having ball supportingsurfaces at gradually increasing eleva- C tions from one end of theseries toward the other end ofthe series, the supporting surfacesof alll of the posts with the exception of the onehavf e ing the highestsupportingsurface being inclined toward the last mentioned post so thata ballv can roll fromthe supporting surf-ace of one post manuallyoperated means for successively raising "the posts independently of oneanother.`

l0. A toy of the character described comprisling va substantiallyvertical wall, a series of relal tively reciprocable posts arrangedparallel to the i Wall immediately `infront thereof, said posts heyingpositioned side byside in close proximity to t one anotherand` graduallyincreasing in height from the shortest tothe tallest post of theseries,t

the posts which are shorter than the tallest one `h'aving ballsupporting surfaces inclined toward the tallest post fso. that a ballcan roll from a t shorter post to ther next higher postwhen the shorterpost is elevated to a 4suiilcient height,l a

ball runway at the rear of the wall having an entrance Cin `the walladjacent tothe top of the l tallest post and an exit in the walladjacent to the to the next one having a higher elevation when` a postis moved ftoa predetermined height, `a ball runway having an `entranceto receive a ball `from the supporting surface at the highest eleval ttion and an exit to discharge the lball onto the top of the shortestlpost, and finger operated keys `operatively yconnected to the posts forsucces-i sifvely raising them independently of one another.

n i e JOSEPH `GREENE

